Unpopularopinionbydemand

This is Not Primarily a BL !

And I don't mean that in some frustrated, "I didn't get enough yearning" take, no, I mean that, most BL is centered around the two leads on whatever path that looks like, with their love or want or yearn for each other being one of the main objectives, sometimes the only objective. However, that is not the case for GBYFD. This is a horror/mystery with a little romance thrown in because, why not?

Let's Dive In.

GBYFD has one of the strongest openings I’ve seen in a while. The first few episodes are undeniably the highlight of the series. Visually, it’s striking, the gore is genuinely gory, the horror elements feel unsettling and immersive, and the pacing flows with a steady, confident rhythm. From the very beginning, it knows what tone it wants. As an added bonus, we’re given two couples, which keeps the emotional investment high. Personally, Michael and TopTen were my favorites. I loved their exes-to-lovers dynamic and the workplace tension layered into their relationship. Michael’s red hair? A win. Their chemistry? Even better. I was fully on board with them.

Pavel as Singha is brilliant. Pavel in tight shirts and an arm tattoo is perfection. Pooh definitely shown that he has leveled up in his acting. as the ghost-seeing son of a spiritually corrupted father, Thup is scared, He's almost extremely repressed from the world outside of his spiritual views, and needed Singha as his guide, or new moral compass. They're slow-burn until they're not, and it ends up being too underwhelming once they've established themselves.

The story is great, but obviously, not very logical. Lots of things happen that shouldn't, but this is fictional and their whole investigation is based on ghosts and spirits, so I'll try to take it with a grain of salt. The real issue is pacing. What starts off gripping gradually becomes repetitive, especially toward the middle and end. The mystery loses some of its edge. Honestly, this could have been tightened into ten episodes for a stronger overall impact. It’s also worth noting again: this is not primarily a BL. The romances are not the focal point, and that’s reflected in the toned-down intimacy, especially when compared to something like Pit Babe. If you go in expecting romance to drive the narrative, you may be disappointed. If you go in for horror and mystery with romantic subplots, it works much better.

Rating:

Story: 8/10 - Interesting. It get's a little a boring toward the middle/end, but it still isn't enough to completely rid me of its content.

Acting: 8.5/10 - It's good. I like it. Pooh brings on a better performance.

Music: 6/10 - Didn't pay attention to it.

Recommendation Value: 6/10 - If you like horror and mystery, yes. If not, this can be a skip. None of the romances are just so good that you have to watch, but it's still a nice story.

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When marimbas start to play....

I never watch movies, but as soon I saw even the tiniest snippet of this, I knew I had to watch. This is sexy, dangerous, and full of yearning almost too much to bare. 10Dance, what a beautiful story you are.

Let's Dive In.

A stunningly produced movie. It was great to see Machida Keita on my screen again and the lovely Takeuchi Ryoma. These two together created absolute MAGIC on the screen. Through dance, they were about to breed sexual tension like none other. It's the biggest highlight of the movie.

Suzuki is an interesting character. A free-spirited dancer troubled with the idea of being compared to Sugiki. When approached by the latter with the invitation to learn 10 Dance, he is initially disinterested until pure anger and distaste leads him to agreeing. It's another hour thirty minutes of complete angst, yearning, tension, and suspense. The only part lacking is the romance.

This story is about two straight men opening up doors they have yet to explore. Sugiki does it out of his own greed of needing to be number one while Suzuki has harboring selfishness until it turns into something else completely. This movie is not romantic. It is lustful. And that's okay too. I don't believe the movie aims to show that these men have love for one another that is anything but dance. They are trapped by the desire to be like the other, and because of it, it turns libidinous. Even with the passion between them, it is dwindled by Sugiki and later completely eliminated until a time jump shows that in six months, that same sensual affection is there.

This is left slightly ambiguous, but as the audience, it's our job to interpret that ending as we see fit. Personally, I think nothing comes out of it. They both know the kind of person they are and the kind of lives they live, and that's enough. They'll dance, they might kiss, and then move on until it recycles all over again.

Obsessed with the women in this series. While given the back burner, they outshine with their own conflict perfectly accomplished by the incredible acting of Doi Shiori and Ishii Anna. In some odd way, I felt their characters together had more underlying romance than the leads.

Ratings:

Story: 7.5/10 - It's less plot, more dance. Isn't a bad thing, but I wish they would sharpened some of the dialogue and story between the characters. A beautifully shot train kiss, probably one of the best climax kisses I've seen. Odd editing decisions that take you out of the story.

Acting: 9.5/10 - Incredible acting. Everyone is brilliant. My only gripe is that with most non-native english speakers, some of the english dialogue doesn't come off as poignant as it could've.

Music: 8.5/10 - Lots of great music. I forgot Sway by Michael Bublé existed, so thank you for that.

Recommendation Value: 9/10 - it's a great movie regardless of my critiques. Watch it! Plus, Ryoma is an ethereal being when shirtless, and I am hear to testify that his hips seriously don't lie.

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The NC Scenes Makes You Enjoy This More

I have been holding off on this series for no particular reason other than the fact that I had heard so many mixed review. I have told myself time and time again to just start things without commentary from others, but look, I'm trying my best. The Boy Next World started pretty slow than picked up in the middle. Lots of holes, lots of unanswered questions, but Boss an Nouel as a duo are so enamoring that it's kinda okay.

Let's Dive In.

The premise of this series is that Cir wakes up from a head injury presuming his life of being Phu's boyfriend, until he realizes that it was just him dreaming and fabricating their relationship. Instead of telling Phu that, he lies and says he's from another parallel universe where he and Phu were together. Now, get this, the real kicker is.... he wasn't lying? There are actual parallel universes, and he, at one point, switches lives again with another Cir that wants nothing to Phu. Instead of announcing this to Phu once he makes his way back to him (the real Cir), he tells the truth about his lie that's not a lie but is technically, in some way, a lie. They explain perfectly what these parallel lives are like, but they never explain why it happens or when it happens.

I was going to be so disappointed if the twist ended up being 'Ha! it was all a dream and I was lying!" and then that's exactly what happened (Kind of..?). I'm still a little lost on the exact ending of this and would've loved some more solidness on this. Also, does Phu ever realize that there are actual parallel universes, or does he just only believes that Cir had lied to him?

Without a doubt, this couple does physical like physical has never been done before. I have been ranting for a while how BL tends to go from "let's have our first kiss" to "let's fuck in the next episode" without any of the in-betweens. The touching, the grinding, the sex that isn't actual sex, but things to get each other off. This series did that to a T. I enjoy that we get to see stages in their physical relationship before they get straight to sex. I like that Cir teased Phu, I liked that Phu is shy until we see him build more confidence and eventually chooses to do an act on Cir. It was all so perfect, on top of the sounds. THE SOUNDS. Gorgeous.

I kinda liked the second couple? I didn't hate them like I feel lately I've been doing with second couples, but I wasn't in love with them like I'd like to be. I mostly just liked their individual personalities, and mixed, it was okay, but I liked it enough to smile during some scenes. I don't the think the chemistry was all the way there, but they weren't too far off. I think with a little more time and effort, they could seriously give a great performance together. Besides their romance, I'm not sure what the point of giving Jin mind reading powers was if they weren't going to utilize them in a more important way. He just... had them. I thought this was going to play a more important part of the story later on, except it goes no where. He's just a random character with the ability to read minds. Okay.

Ratings:

Story: 8/10 - I liked what they tried to do, but I don't think it quite reached where it should've. Romances were pretty good.

Acting: 8.5/10 - Nouel struggled to cry in some scenes. Same with Boss, but maybe not as bad. I think outside of that, they both did a good enough job.

Music: 5/10 - absolutely hated the random ass english music playing during the NC scenes. Like what....

Recommendation Value: 5/10 - eh. You can skip this. unless you want to see the most mind-boggling, ushy-gushy NC scenes of your life. Otherwise, this can be a skip.

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Fan-Tastics

I liked this! I think the story is adorable, I believe that with the timeframe this company and to work for the story, worked well, and overall, I loved our main characters. Was is brilliant? No, but it was catchy, and I really enjoyed its more natural, fluffy side.

Let's Dive In.

I'm not immediately obsessed with our leads, actually it takes me more than a while to really get into them, but when I do, I'm in love. Thank you the BL gods for not putting in music over their kiss scenes (sounds were immaculate) Other than that weird-ass music during their NC scenes, there was no problems in the physical department. Actually, out of any K-BL I've seen, I think this one takes the cake in terms of physicalness. So well done. Also, whatta height difference, you've got to love it.

My only real problem with this plot is the problem I have with most plots trying to be lazy. It's the whole "oh no, the world know we're dating" and in the next episode it's, "I suddenly don't care anymore what the world says!" It's just such lazy writing to hurry and come to a happy conclusion. It was all Jiwon cared about the entire series, and then suddenly, with a magical wand, he doesn't care anymore. Sigh, okay. I would've love some more play into this, something I haven't seen yet would've been nice, but whatever.

Moving onto my favorite underlying story, the best friends. I think it's so unique how unexpecting their story is, and them BAM, we're given all these hints by Euno about his little crush on Seungjin. I don't know if they're gearing up for their own story, but I'd love to watch it. It'd be so silly, and soft, and somehow deep, and I really think I'd love it.

The only other nit-picky, not-that-big-of-a-deal thing I had was gymnast are typically extremely built and large, and Jiwon is the exact opposite. It was hard to play into the whole "I'm a gold-medalist olympian" thing, but again, just something super-duper minor, but I still noticed it.

Overall, this is a very fell-good series with a decent runtime and an incredible cast. Most scenes where friends get together I skip cause I get bored easily, but this friend group was incredibly endearing to watch. I don't know if I'll remember this series in like a year, but me now really enjoyed this.

Ratings;

Story: 8/10 - Entertaining enough. Flowed naturally and didn't have too much filler or anything unnecessary. Really stuck to the story of the main couple which I liked. More time would've meant more room to grow in other aspects, but this was as good as it could've been.

Acting: 9/20 - Good! I especially loved Rakyeong's acting.

Music: 4/10 - They thought, "Why don't we put these EDM beats behind a moment that is suppose to be super lovely dovey and sensual?" SO annoying.

Recommendation Value: 7/10 - Yeah why not. Lighthearted, fun, and some great couple scenes. Unfortunately, there's no moment we get to see Jeongu take his shirt off besides the NC scene, but no pecs. Sigh.

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Skimmed

Majority of this watch for me was skimming through the episodes after able episode 4-5 to find out what even is the reason for a Pit Babe Season 2, so really, take my review with a grain of salt.

Let's Dive In.

Nothing what I was expecting it to be. And yes, in a bad way. So many twist and turns, so many characters to remember, and not enough developing really anything. I was utterly bored with this series but about episode 5, and skimmed through the majority of the rest. It took me almost a month to even remember I had started this series in the first place. I was really here for Sonic and North, and maybe to see a bit of Jeff and Alan, but I just feel like I didn't get anything worthwhile.

The points this show made:
- Way is not Way
- Evil Daddy still being evil
- SEX.
- New Alpha character that looks like a 15 year old.
- SEX>>>>>

Ratings:

Story: 5.5/10 - Skimmed through so I didn't get much of the story. But it was enough to be bored. So many different things were happening in this season that I simply didn't care for. Sonic and North kissed and that's all I really needed.

Acting: 8/10 - Fine.

Music: 5/10 - Didn't pay attention to it.

Recommendation Value: 2/10 - Just skim through for the NC scenes cause there is literally no plot worth watching.

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Nostalgic, and BAS !

I loved seeing Bas, I feel like I haven't seen him in forever. It was mostly why I watched, and I was pleasantly surprised. This is nothing new, if anything, it takes a trip back to 2018, but I love it for all the nostalgia it brought. Still can't ingore that it's nothing new nor special.

Let's Dive In.

A lot of people have already described this BL as kind of being like a little time-machine to the way BL use to be 6-7 years ago. I got a lot of My Engineer, Love By Chance, 2 Moons vibes ( I swear it's not just Bas, lol). This is an extremely generic Uni BL that is honestly pretty forgettable, but some of the characters are endearing and so are Pond and Maxky when they're shirtless.

Hill and Ter are pretty boring for me. I think I liked them at a certain point, but their story felt all over the place and then a little placid in some parts. Seeing Pond shirtless also didn't hurt.

What really had me seated was Jo and North. I loved their story in the beginning, and then it loses itself a little once they start figuring out their relationship, but eventually picks itself up again. Jo is extremely toxic and their relationship is almost built off of the fear that North has of him if he doesn't do everything right. Either way, Maxky is a beautiful specimen with the prettiest lips, and I liked seeing him shirtless too.

I kinda started skipping after episode 12 or so. Basically skimmed through the rest and still got the gist. They tease this third couple, but they go absolutely no where. Sammy was in this. Looks so very different (I'm not sure if it's in a good or bad way yet...).

Overall, this BL was full of a bunch of irrelevant beautiful characters, and the plots are full of very small, un-consequential conflicts. But it's cute, it's watchable, and lots of shirtless scenes.

Ratings:

Story: 6/10 - I liked Ter's and Hill's story about their pasts. That's kind of it. Great kissing/NC scenes me thinks.

Acting: 8/10 - some are good, others not so much. Pond is definitely one of their best actor, with Earth and Bas up there too. Maxky is good, but he's prettier than his acting unfortunately. Everyone else is just mediocre.

Music: 5/10 - didn't pay attention to it, so it wasn't distracting at least.

Recommendation Value: 4/10 - ehh. It's okay, watch something else. This is also very extremely long for no reason, so skip, skip, skip! But Maxky and Pond are beautiful shirtless, so actually, you should watch this.

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So Much Wasted Potential

I think I will never understand the point of doing a crossover series, and then make it so very mediocre. I mean, there's so much to explore with two different countries coming together, but like most of them, this series did just that: solidifies on the expectations, and then completely ruins it.

Let's Dive In.

This series could've been good, but they waste it on this weird expectation that we're suppose to think it's normal for one character to speak Thai, and the other Korean. Now, let's just say that between the leads, this works, but you're telling me when Jay goes to speak to other Korean people, they understand perfectly what he's saying? No, of course not. I don't know why we couldn't have gotten a Thai actor that speaks Korean, or a Korean actor that speaks Thai. Either way would've worked best than us just having to kind of go with the flow.

But, after a few episodes, you kind of forget about it. Now, looking into the plot, this seemed to be such a cutesy little friends to lovers story. No, it's so much more than that. We then end up in this murder-mystery plot that is so anticlimatiac. It's set up in the beginning of the series, but it doesn't fit at all within the genre of this BL. It's so fun and dainty and cute, and then all of the sudden the characters are running around fending for their life. I can't take any of it seriously.

Moving onto the leads, they do well within their respected roles. As a couple, they falter. Not only do they get together mid-series, but then they do... nothing. We get a couple kisses here and there, a hand-holding scene, and that's pretty much it. It was very underwhelming.

The best thing about this series is that it is a very easy watch. Took me a day to watch all of it which is why I finished it, because why not? Most of the characters are very attractive, especially Jinuk, who I wish has his shirt off more often.

Ratings:

Story: 6/10: if they wanted to do the murder mystery, I wish they would've made this series more grittier. Not a lot of development between the leads, even as a couple. Some parts i did enjoy, so it won't get too bad a grade.

Acting: 8/10 - Good. No one did just an amazing job, everyone did good and it was fine.

Music: 6/10 - I know most music is repetitive, but I just remember the song playing non-stop. Kind of annoying.

Recommendation Value: 2/10 - No. It's okay. And I say that knowing full well Jinuk takes his shirt off and mesmerizes me.

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So Trippy, So Sickly, and I Liked it!

I swear I have never heard anything about this BL until recently. It must've been swept under the rug, cause as soon as I got to this, I was more then shell-shocked at how well this was produced and executed. It is one of Beyond Cloud's most underrated series, that's for sure. But, I can understand it's low audience, just cause it is a step outside the boundaries of what normal Thai BL watchers might be use to, and that's that this is extremely gory, thrown in with some horror and thriller elements that make it even worse (better). Dead Friend Forever is a lot less BL than it it is gore and horror, and I really liked it!

Let's Dive In.

I think the trickiest thing to keep up with is the abundance of characters, all with their own story and own conflicts. It gets little better to differentiate them after a few episodes, but it takes a second, for sure. But, the main focus is on the mysterious disappearance/death of Barcode's character, Non. Within that plot comes a bunch of other sub plots and lots of complex twist and turns that make the story so intricate. I think my favorite story to learn about was Tee's, what an interesting character, and his actor did such a good job.

This has its moments of draggy-ness, I think the worst was the beginning during their time at the cabin, and trying to figure out what was going on and and all the odd things happening. Once Barcode's character enters, the story definitely gets more interesting.

This was much more than just a BL, and I say that because this is a genuine thriller/horror series that happens to have gay characters. Never is their sexualities touched on, or any of the normal stuff most BLs go through. There was fear, and deaths, and mysteries along with the occasional kiss/NC scene. And while we're on the topic, wow, I was not expecting much, mostly cause they were high schoolers, but geez, they delivered. I wasn't ready to see my baby Barcode's character get groomed in this, nor was I even ready to see him have a kiss scene. but I guess we're here.

Overall, I like this, the production was gorgeous, I loved how naturally tan and pretty everyone was. The horror and fear factor is definitely there, and this served its purpose of trying to deliver that perfectly. I think you have to be particularly interested in the spooky aspects to even want to watch this, but I promise, it's definitely worth it.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10 - spectacular story. So many twist and turns you don't see coming, and it's excellent. The ending is a little predictable, but other than that, I really liked this.

Acting: 9/10 - Everyone knocked it out the park. Actors were very versatile in their performance, going from sweet, to mean, to sad, to an absolute lunatic. I think for me, Ta, JJay, Barcode, and Jet put on the best performances.

Music: 7/10 - I didn't pay attention to it, but Jeff is there, so it's a lil higher than normal.

Recommendation Value: 7.5/10 - I don't think I'd just recommend this to anyone, but I think it's different in terms of what we're use to, so go for it! And also, while Mr. Keng is a discussing pig that grooms Non, he does look beautiful shirtless (I'm shallow, sorry).

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Little K-BL Gem

Wow, was not expecting to like this one as much as I did. A little gem in the pool of BLs we've seen, and I'm glad I finally crossed it off my list. It also helped me get out of a little case of "BL-Block" which I get very often, and I'm grateful to any series that can dig me out of the hole I'm in.

Let's Dive In.

There's nothing particularly unique or unordinary about this series, but i think what made it so good for me was the acting. Top-notch talent, for sure. Especially the two playing the main leads, I loved them dearly. In a weird way, this felt very Thai BL-esque. That might've been just a me thing, but i felt like at some points, the story followed the same kind of plot and tropey-like scenarios that most generic Thai BLs have, whilst still feeling true to itself. The plot never swayed and it didn't feel messy or too complex, but stuck to the main plot line including the side couple.

Talking about the side couple, that had so much depth, and even though their relationship had a conclusion, it was a little anti-climatic with the New Year's hug instead of kiss at the end. Like... just kiss??

The main couple were super cute. I like Kisub's character development, and I really enjoyed their story. They were pretty slow burn, and I enjoy me a slow-burn, so they were everything I could ask for. Also, some relatively nice kissing scenes for a K-BL.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10: enjoyed it throughout, didn't find anything boring or tedious. Side couple could've had a better ending

Acting: 9/10: Really good! It's what made this series so likeable.

Music: 7/10: The songs they played in this were actually really good. Helped fit the vibe really well.

Recommendation Value: 8/10: 100% would recommend. Not the best K-BL series I've seen, but if someone wants lighthearted and fluffy, I'd give them this. Also, Kisub looks way too hot with straightened hair (just thought I throw that in here).

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A Little Unrealistic, but Good!

I have tons of thoughts when it comes to my feelings about this series. When I initially tried watching this series, it was really hard for me to get through. I ended up putting it on hold for a few months, and now I've decided to give it another chance. It's easy to see why this series is so loved, but I cannot fathom the idea of this unrealistic lifestyle receiving little to zero backlash from the other characters about their relationship.

Let's Dive In.

Again, I'll reiterate that it took me a while to get through the series. During my initial watch, I realized the kind of relationship Qian and Yuan had and were going to end up having. This is also coming from someone who enjoys forbidden romances and age gaps, btw, but still, something about this steered me the wrong way. But, I went back to watch it, and I ended up really liking it.

The only reason this relationship can make sense is because of the delicacy and intricateness that the writers had for Yuan's character. His development is probably some of the best I've seen in a BL this year. He goes from being this overly-obsessive, slightly conniving, extremely immature high schooler to then becoming more firm and direct and evolved after college (still has some weird habits, but still better than before). I think had Qian been okay with Yuan's feelings before Yuan's growth, this series wouldn't have nearly received as much love and attention as it did. But I think Qian at that time, sat in his grief about Yuan being gone and realized that he meant something more, although not quite ready to rip the bandaid off. I was 100 percent against their getting together during the first half of this cause it was too much of a power imbalance, and the writers did a fantastic job of waiting until we saw that growth and development in Yuan before even allowing Qian to contemplate his feelings.

Now, the only part that is disbelieving is the people around them being okay with their new relationship. You're telling me that they were completely okay with Qian calling Yuan his "brother" to one day calling him his "boyfriend"...? Yeah, no. I wanted a lot more backlash and repercussions from those around them, and we simply don't get that. If anything, San Pang is against it in the beginning, but starts to understand in the end, which is okay considering he's also seeing Yuan's growth and has been there with the family since forever. However, the writers completely disregard this ginormous, glaring problem, and it's way too unrealistic.

In the end, their relationship is a little more justifiable, but still, I kind of wished they didn't end up together. It's a sticky type of relationship, one that I hate people are justifying because they aren't "blood-related" even though a familial relationship like theirs is a lot more complicated than that. I think Qian being there to help Yuan get over his crush would've been better than him just allowing it to happen.

On the other hand, I liked the other characters a lot, especially the sister, she was adorable. I like her relationship with Qian and Yuan, and I like that she had her own story on the side.

Ratings:

Story: 8/10 - Complex, flowed easily, super engaging. However, some of it is unrealistic, but it does so well at character development that I'm (almost) okay with giving the score a high rating.

Acting: 8.5/10 - Acting was good! But Yuan stayed in most of a stoic type of behavior (other than one or two scenes), but. Qian does great as the stubborn yet caring older brother. All the supporting actors did well too.

Music: 6/10 - Didn't pay it any attention.

Recommendation Value: 7/10 - Not necessarily for everyone, and I mostly liked the storytelling than the actual BL aspect. But both leads have abs and big arms that you see throughout the series, so honestly, go for it!

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Wonderfully Entertaining

I'm so happy that I decided against my better judgment and decided to watch this series because in the end, I actually really liked it. Some parts give you a run for your money, and others I'm not so sure about, but overall, this series has more ups than downs, and tells a story interesting enough to keep me engaged.

Let's Dive In.

So the premise is basically that Kram loses the love of his life in his own world, and accidentally falls into some mystic pond that takes him to another alternative world. In this other world, he tries to save Phupha, the person he used to love but ends up falling for Tai, another male in this world that in Kram's world, was actually a monster. I'll be honest, the synopsis on MDL made this sound incredibly confusing, so I was worried going into this that I would be lost, but you won't. The story is told in great detail and in such complexity that it's easy to keep up. However, there are some parts that feel like something's been left out, or perhaps the story wasn't put together as best as it could be to be told accurately for a complete understanding. Some of the scenes cut weirdly, so sometimes I wasn't sure if we were seeing our Kram or Kram 2.0, same with a couple of continuity errors that draw you out from the series. But, even with that, I still think they handled it as best as they could, and did a wonderful job at showing us a good story.

The production budget must've been out the roof, because it had some amazing locations, some of the best makeup work I've seen in a Thai BL, and a great, high-skilled list of actors. I think that's what makes this series so great. I loved how they made Kram look while he was sick, the bruises and scars and blood. All of it was so good.

Now, moving on to the relationships in this series. I love pining, it's one of my favorite tropes, and we see it a lot here with Tai from the alternative world. They throw in great hints that lead the audience to come to the understanding that Tai loved Kram from his world before he passed away. Then, once Kram realizes this, he gains other Kram's memories, and starts to fall for Tai as well. While we do have a love triangle here, it's not much of a love triangle since you know who Kram will end up with, but I still like the effort they put behind Phupha realizing that he actually really likes Kram. The only real nitpick I had with this couple is that there's something missing between Tai and Kram in their initial getting-together. I wish there was a scene or two more of us seeing Kram falling for Tai, or Tai hinting that he has feelings, something more than just Kram gaining back these memories that aren't his. But like always, I'm shallow when it comes to height differences, and boy, do Nat and Max do it for me each time. Also, some of the best NC scenes in BL, and I don't say that because they were naked and we saw everything (and I mean everything), but because there was so much love poured into the way it was acted out, and you can tell it was genuine and organic. Great job to those two.

The side couple, well, I didn't really care much for them. I'm not an enemies-to-lovers kind of person, so initially, this didn't draw me as it might've for others. But I do love these small moments we get when we see both of them breaking down the walls they built to be vulnerable and open. Again, such a good NC scene, and so out of the blue too. I just can't believe the amount of detail this series goes into to show us this amount of depth, in these scenes and in others.

Ratings:

Story: 8.5/10 - Some parts are harder to understand than others, but overall, the story was complex and deep, and lots of character development happened, and I loved it.

Acting: 9/10 - I think Nat's acting has improved greatly, and this series is a testimony to that, however, there are still certain scenes that his acting just doesn't reach all the way for me. Max does a good job, and so does the rest of the supporting cast.

Music: 8/10 - Okay, I don't usually pay attention to the music, but the instrumentals to this series are quite literally stuck in my head.

Recommendation Value: 7/10 - Abolsute jaw-dropping series that I had low expectations of, but it seriously surprised me in all departments. It is quite heavy in plot, but the men are beautiful, the NC scenes are breathtaking, and it's a series worth watching.

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Went from Amazing to Great to Just Good

In the first couple of episodes, I was immediately hooked on the story. Toki, a delinquent falls for his PE teacher who is everything opposite, and it starts the tale of a wild, hilarious, and rather touching romance story. I loved this until I didn't, and for a minute there, I was assuming this might be my top J-BL of the year, but that has now been debunked.

Let's Dive In.

Starting off, I was a little thrown off by the topic of the plot. A high schooler falls for his PE teacher. I had to remember that, one, this is fiction, and two, morals of what's wrong and right are different everywhere, so having that mindset made my watch a little more bearable (but also my fave JBL of all time is Minato's Coin Laundry, and that's exactly what this series is in its own way). But the first episode until maybe the episode where we learn more about Todo and Takuya story is where everything was peaches and plums for me. And then it kind of all goes downhill from there.

I wanted to absolutely adore Toki and Sahara's relationship, but I realized that in the end, I didn't necessarily care for the "development" that we received. They make it seem like Toki helped Sahara discover himself, but that's not at all what I got from the series. If anything, Toki is extremely immature and Sahara falls for him because he's the complete opposite and gives him that breath-of-fresh-air feeling that he needs. Toki, on the other hand, is just so head over heels for this dude that he doesn't stop what he's doing for the better, but only because Sahara wants him to. This is why in the end, their relationship feels too unreasonable, even after Toki graduates.

There are some parts that hit the nail on the comedy, and while this series is heavily overexaggerated, that is probably my favorite part. Rinataro as Toki plays up the dramatics so perfectly in this, it's insane. From his facial expressions to the way he talks, to his body language, I loved all of it. But weirdly, what I think I really enjoyed most out of all the characters were the three girls that kind of followed all the guys around. Super over the top, so annoying, and in a way, I really liked it.

Ratings;

Story: 7/10 - Great until about halfway through. I honestly enjoyed Todo's and Nekoto's storylines, it added some dramatic moments, and it was honestly needed.

Acting: 9.5/10 - fantastic acting, I loved all of it. Takumi is a beautiful man and I need more of him in my life.

Music: 6/10 - didn't pay much attention to it.

Recommendation value: 7.5/10 - I feel like this series still has so much to offer, but at the same time, there's something lacking that I can't quite put my foot on. But nonetheless, Sahara is fine as fuck, so go for it.

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Literally a Hidden Gem — I Loved This !!

Okay, I love it when I find series like this that are hidden beneath the other pile of oversaturated BLs and it becomes something of its own that completely makes me fall for it. I was 100% ready to drop this series after the first episode, especially after looking at the rating and comments, but I was pleasantly surprised in the beginning and it carried out until the very last episode. I'm only upset I'm just now seeing it as it's been released since May 2023. I wish I was on that train when it was airing tbh.

Let's Dive In.

So The Promise is essentially a series about two childhood best friends who find their way back to one another after 10 years. The plot itself is pretty simple, but the execution, along with the production budget, makes this series spectacular. And if you don't know, friends to lovers is my favorite trope of all time, and if you mix a slow burn with that, it's damn near impossible for me not to love it. And oh, how I loved this series. It executed their relationship (friend-wise) so perfectly; showing those fleeting stares, those one-off comments, the small gestures. And it makes sense with everything that happens between them, with Phupha leaving and returning and not knowing how to tell his friend about his whereabouts or why he left. They did great at keeping that ambiguity from the audience as well until it's revealed, which I liked that we also didn't know until Nan knew as well. Same with Khunkhao, who was Phu's secret brother, which felt too coincidental, but I didn't hate it. Overall, they perfectly mapped out their friendship into a relationship so perfectly, and it's above all, my favorite aspect of the series.

Now, the chemistry is good, not great, but it's good. It's enough for me to be convinced that Phu really does have feelings for Nan, but I will say that once they get together, that tension between them dies and it's not as punctuated as it was before they got together. Not all of the kisses were bad, but there were some dead ones. The NC scene at the end is actually very sensual and very beautiful. Also, seeing them both topless doesn't hurt either.

The relationship between Phu and his grandmother had me in shackles. Oh, I loved it so much, the openness they both were able to have with one another without it being a deal that he likes a guy, which I'm pretty sure they innuendo that his grandmother was a lesbian/bi since she hung out with other older lgbtq people. I think her death is justified (?) enough in the series that when she does die, it doesn't feel like an irrelevant death, but something that for Phu's character specifically, needed in order for them to get across that Nan would be there for him and help guide him through it. Onto more of the smaller roles, Party was okay, I think it was irrelevant to make his character in love with Nan, but it is what it is. Giegie was super fun, I liked the comedic aspect of the series with her astrological antics and whatnot.

Now, onto some things I wasn't appreciative of. There were plenty of office scenes that could've been cut down. They drag for far too long in some episodes, and I just skip right over it because *Snooze Fest*. Same with Jo, I know he's the comedic boss who's bad at his job that everyone somehow puts up with, but I kind of wanted to see him fired, won't lie. Episode 10 was the only episode that I really didn't like. Before then, I honestly loved each episode, but the last one was the one that took down my 10/10 score. There were so many unnecessary, irrelevant conflicts that the writers dropped for no reason. Like how Nan is upset that Phu tells him to go move to his new job only for him to be okay in the next scene. Same with the bewildering, "Nan's plane disappeared" plot that was literally, like, what the fuck? And then again, resolved in the next 5 seconds. Also, I don't recall Phu explaining to Nan why he left, even after they got together, which was pretty anticlimactic.

I think this was supposed to have a season 2 (which it really doesn't need one) to go into further depth about the couple they throw in at the last minute (khunkhao and some rando getting beat up on the street), but it didn't get enough popularity within the fandom, which is kind of upsetting, cause besides all the negative stuff, this series really ate down, in my opinion.

Ratings:

Story: 8/5/10: some boring office jargon, and some really left-field writing decisions, but overall, the execution of the main leads is brilliant.

Acting: 9/10: Really good! This was Kun's (Phupha) first acting gig, and I could definitely see the minor mistakes, but he did an excellent job (also, that man is too fine). Kiak also did good, and everyone along the road did just as well.

Music: 7/10 - I actually loved the OST! it gave nostalgic vibes, so I was here for it.

Recommendation Value: 9/10 - I would highly recommend this series, especially to anybody looking for a good friends-to-lovers plot. It did such a good job, and I'm so upset this didn't get the hype it deserved, but oh well.

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City of Pure Enjyoment

Oh, I'm so surprised how much I absolutely loved this series. It's been hard for me to enjoy any Thai series outside of GMMTV, so I'm elated that I actually enjoyed this series. City of Stars was definitely not perfect, but it was such a genuine delight to watch and sit back and enjoy the series for what it was.

Let's Dive In.

City of Stars starts off with a trope that I absolutely love, a famous guy falls for a regular ole dude, and then it takes off from there. I'll admit, it takes a minute to really get into this series, just cause the first couple of episodes are only okay, while it doesn't start to get really good until the closer Fueng and Krom get. The last few episodes were ultimately the best for me. I think the structure of this keeps itself in balance with everything that it needs, while connecting you to these characters so that you actually start to enjoy them and their journey on screen.

For our main couple, I really enjoyed them more than I anticipated. They work so well, except there were a few times where I don't a hundred percent believe their relationship on screen (there are some rather awkward moments when they're looking at each other, or sometimes when they kissed they stood a mile apart lol) but for the most part, I really liked it. They had some great NC scenes and they know how to kiss, so I can't be too upset.

Oh, I loved Kor and Namsom. They didn't hook me in the beginning, but by the end, I was rooting for them so hard. The way Kor spoke to her and made her feel worthy had me in tears. Their relationship is so fragile, but in such a beautiful way that it took me by surprise how much I really enjoyed them.

On to some more nit-picky things, I kind of don't see the appeal with Fueng having fallen in love with Krom. Because his parents talked about him? And not to be mean, but there's nothing out of the ordinary about Krom, so it's a bit of a weird concept. I think it would've just worked out better if they met when Krom got back and fell in love then.

We were also teased with another side couple, but then it never advances anywhere, so that's pretty annoying. IDK if they were setting up for another BL, but we got practically no screen time between them, not even a canon.

Ratings:

Story: 8/5/10 - really good! Their build-up to dating is done so nicely and then they execute it perfectly. I also loved how they nag on some of the bigger problems in the BL industry, like the actors not being able to date outside their pairing, or when they come out and then lose brand deals, or when the entire community harps on someone for something minuscule or irrelevant. I love the portrayal of all of that, including how it can end up working out in the end.

Acting: 8.5/10 - This was Porsche's (Krom) first time acting ever and I think for what it's worth, he did an excellent job. I don't know why he went from being a dental student to an actor, but he did good. It explains now why some of his scenes can feel a bit awkward, but for the most part, he did an excellent job. Job (Fueng) did well too, and I loved seeing him shirtless, So I'll add a half point for that. Kimmon!! I missed him so much, it was so nice to see him play a somewhat serious character for once, and his partner was delightful. Everyone else also did an excellent job.

Music: 7/10 - I didn't pay much attention to it, but it wasn't distracting so that's good.

Recommendation Value: 8/10 - I really liked this! Not the first I'd recommend, but out of the Thai BLs I've seen so far in 2024, this is at the top of my list. It was so well done!

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Sups Cute !

Stay By My Side had me with its delicate charm, heartwarming sweetness, and subtle humor, all woven into a pleasantly paced Taiwanese BL. However, while the experience was good, it fell just shy of greatness, meaning that it'll mostly likely fade from my memory sooner rather than later. Nevertheless, it had good qualities that made for a genuinely delightful watch.

Let's Dive In.

Stay By My Side is about a silly little college kid who plays on the basketball team and ends up being haunted by ghosts after his sister accidentally burns his talisman. He finds a guy, super suave and stoic, who helps him stop hearing the ghosts when they're together -- given the ironic title, Stay By My Side.

I liked this more for the romance than anything, but one of the bigger qualities of this was its pacing. It's 10 episodes for about 22 minutes, and it never sways from the bigger story or has any irrelevant side plots. All of it is centered on the main pairing and their relationship builds at such a nice pace, and all of their kissing looks natural and real and I really liked it.

The story is unique while also being simplistic enough with a college setting, and it sets a tone for the entire series that it's going to be fun and cute and lighthearted.

Ratings:

Story: 8/10 - A unique spin on a rather simple college love story. The chemistry between the leads is good; not the best I've seen out of a Tawinese BL, but it's good. All the side characters help drive the main couple together but don't have much of a story themselves.

Acting: 8.5/10 - I think they did great, but this story is rather lighthearted, so not much complex acting was needed.

Music: 6/10: didn't pay much attention to it, but it wasn't distracting.

Recommendation Value: 6/10: Ehh, I like it, but it's not the first I'd recommend. But it's a super lighthearted watch, and the kissing scenes are good, so go for it!

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